A Quality Analysis of Disc Herniation Videos on YouTube

An increasing number of patients are investigating health information by using the Internet because of its exponential growth. Therefore, it is important to test the accuracy of the information presented to determine which information should not be shared. This study investigated the information available on YouTube with regard to disc herniation.

The first 50 videos found after the keyword "disc herniation" was used in the YouTube search engine were included in the study. Video popularity was evaluated with an index called the video power index (VPI). The quality and accuracy of the information were evaluated by 2 independent spinal surgeons using the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) score and the DISCERN scoring system. Interobserver agreement and individual correlations of the data of each video were statistically analyzed.

Of the 50 videos evaluated, 16 (32%) contained animation and 34 (64%) contained real images. The mean duration was 6.587 minutes, and the mean view was 423.472. The mean DISCERN score was 30.7 (±10.3), and the mean JAMA score was 1.8 (±0.5). There was good agreement between the 2 researchers in terms of DISCERN and JAMA scores. No statistically significant correlation was found between the JAMA and DISCERN scores of both researchers and VPI values, video lengths, animation, or real images.

The quality of the disc herniation information offered on YouTube is low. The evaluation of medical information obtained from the Internet by health professionals is an important step in guiding the correct flow of medical information to patients.